WD40 warning

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BJung

New member
Here is a warning about WD-40 for future reference.

Year ago I was reloading and ran out of lube. I thought, why not try WD-40!. Well it worked and I was only loading a few test loads.

At the range, I was shooting those loads and had a hang fire. "hmm, I better count before ejecting the round" and lowered my sights. Within 3-5 seconds, the round went off. I was surprised and thankful I didn't eject that round. I never had a squib before or after that incident. Maybe the WD-40 got in the case and contaminated the primer. To be safe, I steer away from using it as a lube.
 
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Aguila Blanca

Staff
WD-40 is NOT a lubricant!

The "WD" in WD-40 stands for "Water Displacer." It is a product that was created and intended to displace water. The base is not oil, it's kerosene -- with a bit of paraffin mixed into it.

WD-40, IMHO, has no reason to be anywhere near a firearm (unless you dropped it in the ocean and want to displace the water before you clean and lubricate it).
 
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higgite

New member
I don't think WD-40 used as case lube would cause a hang fire, but that said, it shouldn't be given the opportunity, either.
 
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higgite

New member
It's advertised as a lubricant at the time and was handy..
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It is still sold as a water displacing lubricant. I've found it to be work well for light duty applications like hinges, locks, drawer sliders, etc. Not so much for heavy duty. It's also advertised as a penetrant, so I suppose it could penetrate primers. Maybe.
 
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NoSecondBest

New member
WD-40 was created to be a water displacing product to be used by the military. It wasn't intended to be a lubricant for forming forming purposes. I read a lot of threads where someone or another is using some odd "lubricants" for sizing, etc that were never intended for the purpose. I'm not sure your primer failure was the result of WD-40, but there is some inclination in this post that the correct lubricant should always be used for the job. I'm not sure that this specific warning is all that useful. It's possible that your hang fire was the result of the firing pin moving after the fact from contamination in the bolt or bolt face. It doesn't sound like you know the cause of the hang fire?
 
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Pahoo

New member
Can always do better

The "WD" in WD-40 stands for "Water Displacer." It is a product that was created and intended to displace water. The base is not oil, it's kerosene -- with a bit of paraffin mixed into it.
Click to expand...
That has been my conclusion on the properties we "wish" it had. I have run other tests and it has failed as a lubricant and protectant. There are so many other products that are far superior. ……. :rolleyes:

Be Safe !!!
 
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Average Joe

New member
On the can of WD40 it states for use as a firearm lube, but if you use it, and let it sit for any length of time, it will turn into a brown goo, that is hard to remove.... ask me how I know....
 
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Metal god

New member
I was told several years ago if I wanted to deactivate a primer soak it in WD-40. So that’s what I do . I have a small jar/can filled with WD-40 and whenever I have a live primer I need to Discard I drop it in the WD-40. The one thing I’ve never done was pulled a primer back out of there sometime later and try to discharge it .

You may also wanna consider did it contaminated the powder because if there was enough to soak and penetrate the primer that to me would indicate there was enough to contaminate the powder itself .
 
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jmr40

New member
I don't think WD-40 used as case lube would cause a hang fire,
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It will penetrate into the primer and damage the primer. Sometimes the primers don't work at all, sometimes you get a hangfire. Another reason to keep it away from firearms as a lubricant.
 
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BondoBob

New member
Just good to have a reminder of the 5 second rule. I think it's too easy to get into a sloppy habit of immediately ejecting say a FTF or FTE. This could translate into a temptation to immediately eject a squib. Thanks for the reminder.
 
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Pahoo

New member
More than one way to skin this cat

I was told several years ago if I wanted to deactivate a primer soak it in WD-40.
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It will but then again, so will just about any oil or liquid. I try to take the most economical way out. Guess you could say that I am a cheap deplorable..... :rolleyes:

I don't reload but in some of the classes that I teach, I have to deactivate primers and caps. Again, I use mineral spirits. ….. ;)

Be Safe !!!
 
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Unclenick

Staff
That depends on the primer. Some are sealed so well that in one test they went off after two weeks under some solvents. Others are killed pronto. You have to know your particular primer's behavior in this regard. Alas, only one way to find out.
 
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ammo.crafter

New member
WD not for guns

WOW!

I thought most shooters were aware of the no-no use of WD-40.

I once saw an experienced shotgun shooter dismantle his semi-auto and spray it down with WD. I tried to tell him it's not oil but he insisted I was wrong.

After about 25 round the gun jammed and stayed jammed.

:(
 
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TX Nimrod

New member
WD-40 is NOT a lubricant! The "WD" in WD-40 stands for "Water Displacer." It is a product that was created and intended to displace water. The base is not oil, it's kerosene -- with a bit of paraffin mixed into it....
Click to expand...
There are SO many myths about WD-40. The statement above is full of them...don’t believe every urban legend fake news you read on the internet. For those who care about facts, check out the link below.

(I can agree it is not the best lubricant, and I haven’t used it on a firearm for many decades, but it will do in a pinch if nothing else is available. As case sizing lube.....I tried it once on a .270 WCF case 45 years ago and had to take the die to a machinist....)

https://www.wd40.com/myths-legends-fun-facts/



.
 
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Unclenick

Staff
I've pointed people to the WD-40 website before. The product is, as described there, a water-displacing lubricant and corrosion inhibitor, but it is a relatively light-duty lubricant without a lot of film strength. Guns challenge lubes to stay in place without burning off or being displaced by fast or high-pressure sliding, and a fair amount of effort has gone into formulating lubes that will stand up in race guns or in combat. Nothing I am aware of yet has proven perfect for the chore, and certainly general-purpose lubes have not. Some armorers like the Mobil 1 products, as engine oils also have to stand up to high temperatures and forceful sliding and to keep carbon suspended. I like Sprinco's Machine Gunner's Lube. Some like Wilson Combat's Ultima-lube II. All these products have more viscosity and film strength than WD-40, though.
 
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